6 Highly Effective SEO Strategies for Small

Business
There are more than a billion websites online today, and new ones are being created at a rate of
about 500 per minute. The breakneck speed at which online content is being created makes search
engines an indispensable tool for finding your way on the web. Conversely, business looking to
expand their customer-base online have to rely on search engines to drive traffic to their websites.
This is where search engine optimization comes into play. To sustain and increase online presence,
it is not enough to simply create and maintain a website, and hope that search engine algorithms
will do the rest.
A website needs to be optimized in several key areas in order to increase its likelihood of appearing
as a relevant search result. These include technical, content, on-site and off-site optimizations, and
others. Depending on the size of the business operation, investing in each of these optimizations to
some extent is proven to have an impact on search engine rankings on services like Google or Bing.
Ideally, a company should implement every kind of SEO for maximum effectiveness, but those with
limited resources will likely have to choose a few areas on which to focus. The following article
will try to give an overview of what these areas are, and how to utilize them properly.

Technical Optimization
Technical SEO refers to the practice of optimizing the design and structure of your website so
search engine crawlers have an easier time indexing it. More importantly, search engines take into
account technical characteristics when determining search rankings. Technically well-made website
score higher among users than those that are barely functional, which is why search engines rank
them higher. Here are two example strategies that utilize technical optimization which any small
business can use to improve their rankings.
1. Focus on speed. According to Google, page load times of 3 second or less should be adopted as
the standard for website speed. Anything longer risks lower rankings, as well as increased bounce
rates for visitors. To optimize page load speed, websites should be hosted on reliable servers, have a
proper load order for various page elements, and compress their images for lower bandwidth usage.
2. Adapt for mobile. Recent data shows that more users now browse the web on mobile devices than
on desktop ones. To reflect this change, Google has announced the introduction of the mobile-first
index sometimes in 2018, which will rank websites based on their usability on portable devices first.
Optimizing for mobile can be do by implementing principles of responsive design into your website,
ensuring that it scales well on different screen sizes, and maintains the same level of functionality.

Content Optimization
Content SEO is simply the practice of adapting text, images and video of your website to include
relevant search keywords and long-tail answers to popular search queries. Content optimization is
an area where most improvements can be made. It can be done relatively cheaply, making in
attractive for smaller companies. Writing quality content involves a no small measure of creativity
on the part of the content writers, whether they work in-house, or if they work for a white label SEO
service. Two strategies to keep in mind while optimizing content are to follow.
1. Create Credible Content. The be-all and end-all of content creation is quality. In this sense, there
is no difference between writing for SEO purpose, and writing something that meets user quality
standards and expectations. Creating good content can be a timely investment, but one that
inevitably pays off in the long run.
2. Promote Content. Creating good content is essential, but further adaptation is necessary to ensure
it has marketing appeal as well. There are always multiple ways a sentence can be phrased while
retaining its meaning, but some ways are just more common among search engine users. Optimizing
content to sound enticing while maintaining quality is not easy, but it can be done with some effort.

On-Site Optimization
This form of optimization has overlap with the others mentioned above, in that it involves both
content and the way it is implemented. Specifically, it refers to all forms of optimization which are
focused on the website itself, in contrast to off-site optimizations which are done through
developing links to other websites. On-site SEO is broader in scope than technical and content
optimization, and as such it involves a variety of different strategies. The two mentioned here are
only the tip of the iceberg.
1. Create a quality user experience. Technically- optimized websites make access to content easier.
Well-written content keeps visitors engaged. The two combined create a positive browsing
experience, which generates good user feedback, social media sharing, backlinks, and numerous
other benefits. All of these factors contribute to search engine rankings, and companies such as
Google are increasingly stressing their importance as well. Creating a positive UX is equal parts art
and science, but that just means you can use principles of both to your advantage.
2. Try local SEO. Ranking well on global search engines such as Google is important, but smaller
business that target a local market can benefit greatly from optimizations aimed at state, regional or
municipal levels. Studying local competition, tracking relevant keywords on the level of everyday
discourse, and similar strategies can take on a wholly different shape in comparison to their global
application. Make sure to use them extensively, if your products and services allow for it.